Amigurumi cactus

Yarn: Crochet thread, size 10, weight 0 (Lace)
Colour: Cream, Black, Green, Blue, White
Care: Machine wash gentle, warm water, no bleach. Rinse well and remove promptly. Roll in a towel and then block.
Qty: Just a small bit of each
Hook: 7 - 1.5 mm
Cost: negligible if stashbusting
Time: ~2h

Pattern: https://amigurumi.today/amigurumi-cactus-pattern/#

Materials:
– Green, violet, white, light- and dark-brown yarn;
– Fiberfill;
– Two beads for eyes (can be embroidered with black thread);
– Crochet hook 2 mm;
– Yarn needle and hand-sewing needle;
– Stitch marker;
– Plastic disk for the bottom.

Skill level: easy

Abbreviations:
sc = single crochet
inc = increase (two sc in one stitch)
dec = decrease (two st together)
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain

Main part of the cactus (green yarn)
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring
Rnd 2: inc 6 times[12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 6: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 6 times [36]
Rnd 7: sc in all 36 st [36]
Rnd 8: (sc in next 5 st, inc) repeat 6 times [42]
Rnd 9-15: sc in all 42 st [42]
Rnd 16: (sc in next 5 st, dec) repeat 6 times [36]
Rnd 17: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 18: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 19: (sc in next 2 st, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
Fasten off and weave in the end.

Cactus sprout (green yarn)
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring
Rnd 2: inc 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4-6: sc in all 18 st [18]
Rnd 7: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 3 times [15]
Rnd 8: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 3 times [12]
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

Flower pot (light-brown yarn)
Begin crocheting from the bottom.
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring
Rnd 2: inc 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (sc in next st, inc) repeat 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 2 st, inc) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (sc in next 3 st, inc) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 6: (sc in next 4 st, inc) repeat 6 times [36] sl st and 1 ch.
Rnd 7: to keep the number of stitches the same, continue crocheting in the stitch with 1 ch. 36 sc in the back loop only. Now it’s time to prepare the disk for the bottom. Cut the circle of the necessary diameter.
Rnd 8-9: sc in all 36 st [36]
Rnd 10: (sc in next 17 st, inc) repeat 2 times [38]
Rnd 11-12: sc in all 38 st [38]
Rnd 13: (sc in next 18 st, inc) repeat 2 times [40]
Rnd 14: sc in all 40 st [40]
Rnd 15: 40 sc in the front loop only. So, from the wrong side we get an additional round for crocheting the soil. Honestly speaking I don’t like sewing parts together, that is why this variant is more convenient for me.  (Photo 3)
Rnd 16: (sc in next 18 sc, inc) repeat 2 times [42]
Rnd 17: sc in all 42 st [42]
Fasten off and cut off the yarn. Weave in the end.

Soil:
At first, put the plastic disk on the bottom of the pot and stuff as many as half. For more convenience you may turn down the upper part of the pot, as it is shown in the photo 4.
Rnd 1: with dark-brown yarn crochet 40 sc in the row created by crocheting in front loops only.
Rnd 2: (sc in next 8 st, dec) repeat 4 times [36]
Rnd 3: (sc in next 4 st, dec) repeat 6 times [30]
Rnd 4: (sc in next 3 st, dec) repeat 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (sc in next 2 st, dec) repeat 6 times [18]
Fasten off, cut off the yarn, leaving the tail for sewing two parts together – the pot and the main part. Stuff the pot till the end.

Flower:

Small flower (white yarn):
8 sc in a magic ring, sl st in the 1st st in the ring. 5 ch, 1 sc in the second st from the hook, 3 sc across the chain and 1 sc in the same st from which the petal “grows”. Repeat 7 times. Now you have 8 petals. Sl st in the end and fasten off, leaving the tail for sewing two flowers together.

Big flower (violet yarn):
Rnd 1: start 8 sc in a magic ring
Rnd 2: inc 8 times [16]
Rnd 3: sc, 6 ch, sc in the second st from the hook, sc in next for st across the chain and 1 sc in the same st at the foundation of the Rnd 2, from where the petal “grows”. Crochet 15 petals. End with sl st, cut off the yarn, leaving the tail for sewing the flower.

Eyes (with white yarn, make 2)
Rnd 1: start 6 sc in a magic ring
Rnd 2: inc 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: SC across [12]
Fasten off, cut off the yarn, leaving the tail for sewing.

Assembly:
Stuff the cactus and sew the soil and cactus together. Stuff and sew the small sprout to the cactus. Sew two flowers together with white yarn from the first flower (the top one is the white). Then, sew the flower to the cactus with the violet yarn. Stuff the eyes and pin them in a place. Sew the eyes or embroider black ones. You may also embroider a smile.


Notes for next time: